3.8.0.1 html 718 421 1 false 178 0 false 6 false false R1.htm 0001000 - Document - Document and Entity Information Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/DocumentAndEntityInformation Document and Entity Information Cover 1 false false R2.htm 1001000 - Statement - Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/ConsolidatedBalanceSheetsUnaudited Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) Statements 2 false false R3.htm 1001501 - Statement - Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/ConsolidatedBalanceSheetsUnauditedParenthetical Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) Statements 3 false false R4.htm 1002000 - Statement - Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/ConsolidatedStatementsOfOperationsAndComprehensiveIncomeUnaudited Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) Statements 4 false false R5.htm 1003000 - Statement - Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity (Unaudited) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/ConsolidatedStatementsOfStockholdersEquityUnaudited Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity (Unaudited) Statements 5 false false R6.htm 1004000 - Statement - Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/ConsolidatedStatementsOfCashFlowsUnaudited Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) Statements 6 false false R7.htm 2101100 - Disclosure - Business, Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/BusinessBasisOfPresentationAndSummaryOfSignificantAccountingPolicies Business, Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Notes 7 false false R8.htm 2101100 - Disclosure - Segment Information Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/SegmentInformation Segment Information Notes 8 false false R9.htm 2102100 - Disclosure - Contribution Transaction (Notes) Notes http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/ContributionTransactionNotes Contribution Transaction (Notes) Notes 9 false false R10.htm 2105100 - Disclosure - Insurance Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/Insurance Insurance Notes 10 false false R11.htm 2106100 - Disclosure - Investments Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/Investments Investments Notes 11 false false R12.htm 2107100 - Disclosure - Derivatives Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/Derivatives Derivatives Notes 12 false false R13.htm 2110100 - Disclosure - Fair Value Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/FairValue Fair Value Notes 13 false false R14.htm 2112100 - Disclosure - Equity Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/Equity Equity Notes 14 false false R15.htm 2113100 - Disclosure - Other Revenues and Other Expenses Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/OtherRevenuesAndOtherExpenses Other Revenues and Other Expenses Notes 15 false false R16.htm 2114100 - Disclosure - Contingencies, Commitments and Guarantees Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/ContingenciesCommitmentsAndGuarantees Contingencies, Commitments and Guarantees Notes 16 false false R17.htm 2115100 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactions Related Party Transactions Notes 17 false false R18.htm 2116100 - Disclosure - Subsequent Event Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/SubsequentEvent Subsequent Event Notes 18 false false R19.htm 2201201 - Disclosure - Business, Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/BusinessBasisOfPresentationAndSummaryOfSignificantAccountingPoliciesPolicies Business, Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) Policies http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/BusinessBasisOfPresentationAndSummaryOfSignificantAccountingPolicies 19 false false R20.htm 2301301 - Disclosure - Segment Information (Tables) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/SegmentInformationTables Segment Information (Tables) Tables http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/SegmentInformation 20 false false R21.htm 2305301 - Disclosure - Insurance (Tables) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InsuranceTables Insurance (Tables) Tables http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/Insurance 21 false false R22.htm 2306301 - Disclosure - Investments (Tables) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables Investments (Tables) Tables http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/Investments 22 false false R23.htm 2307301 - Disclosure - Derivatives (Tables) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/DerivativesTables Derivatives (Tables) Tables http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/Derivatives 23 false false R24.htm 2310301 - Disclosure - Fair Value (Tables) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/FairValueTables Fair Value (Tables) Tables http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/FairValue 24 false false R25.htm 2312301 - Disclosure - Equity (Tables) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/EquityTables Equity (Tables) Tables http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/Equity 25 false false R26.htm 2313301 - Disclosure - Other Revenues and Other Expenses (Tables) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/OtherRevenuesAndOtherExpensesTables Other Revenues and Other Expenses (Tables) Tables http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/OtherRevenuesAndOtherExpenses 26 false false R27.htm 2315301 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Tables) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactionsTables Related Party Transactions (Tables) Tables http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactions 27 false false R28.htm 2401402 - Disclosure - Business, Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Narrative) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/BusinessBasisOfPresentationAndSummaryOfSignificantAccountingPoliciesNarrativeDetails Business, Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Narrative) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/BusinessBasisOfPresentationAndSummaryOfSignificantAccountingPoliciesPolicies 28 false false R29.htm 2401402 - Disclosure - Segment Information (Operating Results) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/SegmentInformationOperatingResultsDetails Segment Information (Operating Results) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/SegmentInformationTables 29 false false R30.htm 2401403 - Disclosure - Segment Information (Reconciliation of Operating Revenues to Total Revenues) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/SegmentInformationReconciliationOfOperatingRevenuesToTotalRevenuesDetails Segment Information (Reconciliation of Operating Revenues to Total Revenues) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/SegmentInformationTables 30 false false R31.htm 2401404 - Disclosure - Segment Information (Total Assets) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/SegmentInformationTotalAssetsDetails Segment Information (Total Assets) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/SegmentInformationTables 31 false false R32.htm 2401405 - Disclosure - Segment Information (Narrative) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/SegmentInformationNarrativeDetails Segment Information (Narrative) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/SegmentInformationTables 32 false false R33.htm 2402401 - Disclosure - Contribution Transaction Contribution Transaction (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/ContributionTransactionContributionTransactionDetails Contribution Transaction Contribution Transaction (Details) Details 33 false false R34.htm 2405402 - Disclosure - Insurance (Guarantees Related to Annuity Contracts) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InsuranceGuaranteesRelatedToAnnuityContractsDetails Insurance (Guarantees Related to Annuity Contracts) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InsuranceTables 34 false false R35.htm 2405403 - Disclosure - Insurance (Guarantees Related to Universal and Variable Life Contracts) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InsuranceGuaranteesRelatedToUniversalAndVariableLifeContractsDetails Insurance (Guarantees Related to Universal and Variable Life Contracts) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InsuranceTables 35 false false R36.htm 2406402 - Disclosure - Investments (Fixed Maturity and Equity Securities Available-For-Sale by Sector) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsFixedMaturityAndEquitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleBySectorDetails Investments (Fixed Maturity and Equity Securities Available-For-Sale by Sector) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 36 false false R37.htm 2406403 - Disclosure - Investments (Maturities of Fixed Maturity Securities) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsMaturitiesOfFixedMaturitySecuritiesDetails Investments (Maturities of Fixed Maturity Securities) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 37 false false R38.htm 2406404 - Disclosure - Investments (Continuous Gross Unrealized Losses for Fixed Maturity and Equity Securities Available-For-Sale) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsContinuousGrossUnrealizedLossesForFixedMaturityAndEquitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleDetails Investments (Continuous Gross Unrealized Losses for Fixed Maturity and Equity Securities Available-For-Sale) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 38 false false R39.htm 2406405 - Disclosure - Investments (Mortgage Loans by Portfolio Segment) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsMortgageLoansByPortfolioSegmentDetails Investments (Mortgage Loans by Portfolio Segment) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 39 false false R40.htm 2406406 - Disclosure - Investments (Credit Quality of Commercial Mortgage Loans) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsCreditQualityOfCommercialMortgageLoansDetails Investments (Credit Quality of Commercial Mortgage Loans) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 40 false false R41.htm 2406407 - Disclosure - Investments (Credit Quality of Agricultural and Residential Mortgage Loans) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsCreditQualityOfAgriculturalAndResidentialMortgageLoansDetails Investments (Credit Quality of Agricultural and Residential Mortgage Loans) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 41 false false R42.htm 2406408 - Disclosure - Investments (Net Unrealized Investment Gains Losses) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsNetUnrealizedInvestmentGainsLossesDetails Investments (Net Unrealized Investment Gains Losses) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 42 false false R43.htm 2406409 - Disclosure - Investments (Changes in Net Unrealized Investment Gains Losses) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsChangesInNetUnrealizedInvestmentGainsLossesDetails Investments (Changes in Net Unrealized Investment Gains Losses) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 43 false false R44.htm 2406410 - Disclosure - Investments (Securities Lending) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsSecuritiesLendingDetails Investments (Securities Lending) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 44 false false R45.htm 2406411 - Disclosure - Investments (Securities Lending Remaining Tenor) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsSecuritiesLendingRemainingTenorDetails Investments (Securities Lending Remaining Tenor) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 45 false false R46.htm 2406412 - Disclosure - Investments (Invested Assets on Deposit, Held In Trust and Pledged as Collateral) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsInvestedAssetsOnDepositHeldInTrustAndPledgedAsCollateralDetails Investments (Invested Assets on Deposit, Held In Trust and Pledged as Collateral) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 46 false false R47.htm 2406413 - Disclosure - Investments (Consolidated Variable Interest Entities) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsConsolidatedVariableInterestEntitiesDetails Investments (Consolidated Variable Interest Entities) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 47 false false R48.htm 2406414 - Disclosure - Investments (Unconsolidated Variable Interest Entities) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsUnconsolidatedVariableInterestEntitiesDetails Investments (Unconsolidated Variable Interest Entities) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 48 false false R49.htm 2406415 - Disclosure - Investments (Net Investment Income) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsNetInvestmentIncomeDetails Investments (Net Investment Income) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 49 false false R50.htm 2406416 - Disclosure - Investments (Components of Net Investment Gains Losses) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsComponentsOfNetInvestmentGainsLossesDetails Investments (Components of Net Investment Gains Losses) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 50 false false R51.htm 2406417 - Disclosure - Investments (Sales or Disposals and Impairments of Fixed Maturity and Equity Securities) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsSalesOrDisposalsAndImpairmentsOfFixedMaturityAndEquitySecuritiesDetails Investments (Sales or Disposals and Impairments of Fixed Maturity and Equity Securities) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 51 false false R52.htm 2406418 - Disclosure - Investments (Credit Loss Rollforward) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsCreditLossRollforwardDetails Investments (Credit Loss Rollforward) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 52 false false R53.htm 2406419 - Disclosure - Investments (Related Party Investment Transactions) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsRelatedPartyInvestmentTransactionsDetails Investments (Related Party Investment Transactions) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 53 false false R54.htm 2406420 - Disclosure - Investments (Fixed Maturity and Equity Securities Available-For-Sale - Narrative) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsFixedMaturityAndEquitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleNarrativeDetails Investments (Fixed Maturity and Equity Securities Available-For-Sale - Narrative) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 54 false false R55.htm 2406421 - Disclosure - Investments (Evaluation of Available-For-Sale Securities for OTTI and Evaluating Temporarily Impaired AFS Securities - Narrative) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsEvaluationOfAvailableForSaleSecuritiesForOttiAndEvaluatingTemporarilyImpairedAfsSecuritiesNarrativeDetails Investments (Evaluation of Available-For-Sale Securities for OTTI and Evaluating Temporarily Impaired AFS Securities - Narrative) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 55 false false R56.htm 2406422 - Disclosure - Investments (Mortgage Loans - Narrative) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsMortgageLoansNarrativeDetails Investments (Mortgage Loans - Narrative) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 56 false false R57.htm 2406423 - Disclosure - Investments (Cash Equivalents - Narrative) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsCashEquivalentsNarrativeDetails Investments (Cash Equivalents - Narrative) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 57 false false R58.htm 2406424 - Disclosure - Investments (Concentrations of Credit Risk - Narrative) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsConcentrationsOfCreditRiskNarrativeDetails Investments (Concentrations of Credit Risk - Narrative) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 58 false false R59.htm 2406425 - Disclosure - Investments (Securities Lending Remaining Tenor - Narrative) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsSecuritiesLendingRemainingTenorNarrativeDetails Investments (Securities Lending Remaining Tenor - Narrative) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 59 false false R60.htm 2406426 - Disclosure - Investments Invest Assets On Deposit, Held in Trust and Pledged as Collateral (Narrative) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsInvestAssetsOnDepositHeldInTrustAndPledgedAsCollateralNarrativeDetails Investments Invest Assets On Deposit, Held in Trust and Pledged as Collateral (Narrative) (Details) Details 60 false false R61.htm 2406427 - Disclosure - Investments (Consolidated Variable Interest Entities - Narrative) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsConsolidatedVariableInterestEntitiesNarrativeDetails Investments (Consolidated Variable Interest Entities - Narrative) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 61 false false R62.htm 2406428 - Disclosure - Investments (Unconsolidated Variable Interest Entities - Narrative) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsUnconsolidatedVariableInterestEntitiesNarrativeDetails Investments (Unconsolidated Variable Interest Entities - Narrative) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 62 false false R63.htm 2406429 - Disclosure - Investments (Related Party Invesment Transactions - Narrative) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsRelatedPartyInvesmentTransactionsNarrativeDetails Investments (Related Party Invesment Transactions - Narrative) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/InvestmentsTables 63 false false R64.htm 2407402 - Disclosure - Derivatives (Primary Risks) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/DerivativesPrimaryRisksDetails Derivatives (Primary Risks) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/DerivativesTables 64 false false R65.htm 2407403 - Disclosure - Derivatives (Earned Income On Derivatives) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/DerivativesEarnedIncomeOnDerivativesDetails Derivatives (Earned Income On Derivatives) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/DerivativesTables 65 false false R66.htm 2407404 - Disclosure - Derivatives Derivatives (NQ, CF, FV) (Details) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/DerivativesDerivativesNqCfFvDetailsDetails Derivatives Derivatives (NQ, CF, FV) (Details) (Details) Details 66 false false R67.htm 2407405 - Disclosure - Derivatives (Credit Derivatives) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/DerivativesCreditDerivativesDetails Derivatives (Credit Derivatives) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/DerivativesTables 67 false false R68.htm 2407406 - Disclosure - Derivatives (Estimated Fair Value of Derivative Assets and Liabilities after Master Netting Agreements and Cash Collateral) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/DerivativesEstimatedFairValueOfDerivativeAssetsAndLiabilitiesAfterMasterNettingAgreementsAndCashCollateralDetails Derivatives (Estimated Fair Value of Derivative Assets and Liabilities after Master Netting Agreements and Cash Collateral) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/DerivativesTables 68 false false R69.htm 2407407 - Disclosure - Derivatives (Credit Risk on Freestanding Derivatives) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/DerivativesCreditRiskOnFreestandingDerivativesDetails Derivatives (Credit Risk on Freestanding Derivatives) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/DerivativesTables 69 false false R70.htm 2407408 - Disclosure - Derivatives (Embedded Derivatives) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/DerivativesEmbeddedDerivativesDetails Derivatives (Embedded Derivatives) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/DerivativesTables 70 false false R71.htm 2407409 - Disclosure - Derivatives (Changes in Estimated Fair Value Related to Embedded Derivatives) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/DerivativesChangesInEstimatedFairValueRelatedToEmbeddedDerivativesDetails Derivatives (Changes in Estimated Fair Value Related to Embedded Derivatives) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/DerivativesTables 71 false false R72.htm 2407410 - Disclosure - Derivatives (Narrative) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/DerivativesNarrativeDetails Derivatives (Narrative) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/DerivativesTables 72 false false R73.htm 2410402 - Disclosure - Fair Value (Recurring Fair Value Measurements) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/FairValueRecurringFairValueMeasurementsDetails Fair Value (Recurring Fair Value Measurements) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/FairValueTables 73 false false R74.htm 2410403 - Disclosure - Fair Value (Quantitative Information) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/FairValueQuantitativeInformationDetails Fair Value (Quantitative Information) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/FairValueTables 74 false false R75.htm 2410404 - Disclosure - Fair Value (Unobservable Input Reconciliation) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/FairValueUnobservableInputReconciliationDetails Fair Value (Unobservable Input Reconciliation) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/FairValueTables 75 false false R76.htm 2410405 - Disclosure - Fair Value (Fair Value Option for Certain Assets and Liabilities) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/FairValueFairValueOptionForCertainAssetsAndLiabilitiesDetails Fair Value (Fair Value Option for Certain Assets and Liabilities) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/FairValueTables 76 false false R77.htm 2410406 - Disclosure - Fair Value (Financial Instruments Carried at Other Than Fair Value) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/FairValueFinancialInstrumentsCarriedAtOtherThanFairValueDetails Fair Value (Financial Instruments Carried at Other Than Fair Value) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/FairValueTables 77 false false R78.htm 2410407 - Disclosure - Fair Value (Recurring Fair Value Measurements) (Narrative) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/FairValueRecurringFairValueMeasurementsNarrativeDetails Fair Value (Recurring Fair Value Measurements) (Narrative) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/FairValueTables 78 false false R79.htm 2412402 - Disclosure - Equity (Components of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/EquityComponentsOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossDetails Equity (Components of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/EquityTables 79 false false R80.htm 2412403 - Disclosure - Equity (Reclassifications Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/EquityReclassificationsOutOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossDetails Equity (Reclassifications Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/EquityTables 80 false false R81.htm 2413402 - Disclosure - Other Expenses (Other Expenses) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/OtherExpensesOtherExpensesDetails Other Expenses (Other Expenses) (Details) Details 81 false false R82.htm 2413403 - Disclosure - Other Revenues and Other Expenses Other Revenues (Narrative) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/OtherRevenuesAndOtherExpensesOtherRevenuesNarrativeDetails Other Revenues and Other Expenses Other Revenues (Narrative) (Details) Details 82 false false R83.htm 2414401 - Disclosure - Contingencies, Commitments and Guarantees (Commitments and Guarantees - Narrative) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/ContingenciesCommitmentsAndGuaranteesCommitmentsAndGuaranteesNarrativeDetails Contingencies, Commitments and Guarantees (Commitments and Guarantees - Narrative) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/ContingenciesCommitmentsAndGuarantees 83 false false R84.htm 2415402 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Related Party Transactions) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactionsRelatedPartyTransactionsDetails Related Party Transactions (Related Party Transactions) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactionsTables 84 false false R85.htm 2415403 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Related Party Transactions - Narrative) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactionsRelatedPartyTransactionsNarrativeDetails Related Party Transactions (Related Party Transactions - Narrative) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactionsTables 85 false false R86.htm 2415404 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Effects of Affiliated Reinsurance on Statements of Operations) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactionsEffectsOfAffiliatedReinsuranceOnStatementsOfOperationsDetails Related Party Transactions (Effects of Affiliated Reinsurance on Statements of Operations) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactionsTables 86 false false R87.htm 2415405 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Effects of Affiliated Reinsurance on Balance Sheets) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactionsEffectsOfAffiliatedReinsuranceOnBalanceSheetsDetails Related Party Transactions (Effects of Affiliated Reinsurance on Balance Sheets) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactionsTables 87 false false R88.htm 2415406 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Reinsurance Transactions - Narrative) (Details) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactionsReinsuranceTransactionsNarrativeDetails Related Party Transactions (Reinsurance Transactions - Narrative) (Details) Details http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactionsTables 88 false false R89.htm 2416401 - Disclosure - Subsequent Event Subsequent Event (Detail) Sheet http://www.brighthousefinancial.com/role/SubsequentEventSubsequentEventDetail Subsequent Event Subsequent Event (Detail) Details 89 false false All Reports Book All Reports bhl-20180331.xml bhl-20180331.xsd bhl-20180331_cal.xml bhl-20180331_def.xml bhl-20180331_lab.xml bhl-20180331_pre.xml http://fasb.org/us-gaap/2017-01-31 http://xbrl.sec.gov/invest/2013-01-31 http://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2014-01-31 true true